11 Jun 2014

Gardening: May and June

It's time for a garden up-date for May and June. There have been days when it's been possible to enjoy sitting or working there in the sunshine, but these have been few and far between. However, there has been some new planting in the flower beds and the vegetables (beans, carrots, leeks, onions, parsnips, peas, sweet corn, etc.) in the new plot are progressing well.

I had planned that this corner of the garden would take on a more Mediterranean-style appearance so one or two Roman-style terracotta pots would look good and with a wedding anniversary coming up it might be an idea to buy something special - a frost-proof garden pot instead of a rose bush, which has been the tradition in recent years. In the meantime, the garden continues to look rather 'cottagey', especially now that the foxgloves are shooting up. I'm quite content as many seasonal flowers are appearing and the bees are happy too!

Back in May I bought some more lavender plants with silvery grey/green foliage and some white and pink saxifrage to plant in the small border by the seating area. They go well with the white pelargoniums that have also replaced the tulips in the big tub and more pelargoniums have been planted in other borders.

At the same time some seeds were sown in pots to be planted out. Unfortunately the Morning Glory seedlings got eaten by slugs as soon as they were put outside and only one was saved which is now being nurtured in a pot high up on a wall in the covered yard. The wild flowers were sown straight into the ground and it will be interesting to see if any survive.

Fortunately we have lovely seasonal flowers that bring colour and scent to the garden every year. Some are over the back hedge in our neighbour's uncultivated garden where there's lilac, laburnum, white May bushes, rambling clematis and at the moment, dog roses. The birds have set up permanent homes there in the dense bushes, mostly sparrows and blackbirds, and will continue to enjoy the rose hips in the Autumn.

The peonies took a battering during the heavy rain storms, but the violet-coloured clematis with dark red centre (Parisienne) that we bought last year and kept in a pot until we planted under the back garden fig tree is doing well. The wisteria (Amethyst Falls) is not thriving even though it on a south facing wall. I think it may be pot bound?

We're waiting for the white oriental poppy buds to burst open. The plant was also looking really bashed about after the storms, but has now revived and will replace the peony flowers that are now over.

Parisienne

At one time we had clumps of white foxgloves, but seem to have less this year. They are dotted around the borders, but these ones are in that south facing corner by the garage wall.

Arthur Bell

A mix of antirrhinums, fuchsias and roses are in the raised bed in the front garden at the moment.

We don't have many varieties of rose - Arthur Bell (yellow), Brother Cadfael (pink), Joie de Vivre (pale pink/peach which turns to a pale cream) and some other patio roses (unknown varieties) in shades of pink and orange. Arthur Bell was the first to flower in May. DH has successfully grown some Arthur Bell cuttings that are still in pots, but will soon be ready to plant out as bushes.

patio rose (unknown variety)

Joie de Vivre

The peach tree was grown from a seed inside a peach stone is now outside and seems healthy.There's another and a plum grown in the same way. Some tomato and peppers are also outside, but the majority of these and the herbs are in the covered yard and conveniently placed near the kitchen door.

15 comments:

It's all looking fabulous, so much going on. Glad to hear that your new vegetable patch is thriving, it will be harvest time before too long now. My morning glories came to the same fate as yours, those pesky slugs have a lot to answer for. I was growing them to cover the fence at the back of my border but it will be bare all summer long now, I think I may have to look in to another idea to cover it instead. I think Gino's waiting to be let out.

The rain has encouraged the slugs and the poor plants have taken several beatings, it's sad to see the blossom battered by rain. Everything looks beautiful, I especially love all the roses, I'm a recent convert to them and now I can't get enough of them. You have a gorgeous garden.xxx

Wow, everything looks wonderful Linda. You and Mr Gardener have been very busy indeed. Your roses are stunning, so is the peony - even with the rain! It sounds as though you will have lots of crops later in the year as well. I expect that you love spending time in your garden relaxing when you can as it is so pretty. Definitely well worth all of the hard work and effort that you put in. xx

How wonderful your garden is with all the gorgeous flowers and plants - you and Mr Gardener have such green thumbs.Love the lavenders, the foxgloves, lilacs, and the pretty roses. Also how lovely the Parisian Clematis is - have not seen a blue one before.Thanks for showing us around - a great way to start my morning.Happy ThursdayhugsCarolyn

Wow, Linda....Had no idea that you had so many flowers/plants in your yard.... I thought we had alot--but you have us beat I think.... I'm SO impressed.... Our flowers are seasonal --and we try to have something blooming during spring/summer/fall.... We start with the crocus/hyacinths/daffodils---and then there's the tulips followed by the irises and now the roses (our favorite flowers), lilies and daylilies.... We do have other things (dogwoods, redbuds, rhododendrons, forsythia, dianthus, hosta, sempervivum, azaleas, etc. etc. etc.).... BUT---we cannot plant veggies here in this community. Our community provides an off-site area where people can plant veggie gardens. We just stick to our flowers/plants... BUT---I'm SO impressed with all of yours... Thanks for sharing.Hugs,Betsy

Your garden is looking lovely, I am just starting to miss my own Italian garden that you will remember I used to write a post on every month. To be honest it is only in the last few weeks that I have started to take a proper interest in gardening again.

Oh, my. Your gardens are gorgeous. I was going to post some photos of mine as it is doing well at the moment, but after seeing yours? Maybe not. The lilac and peony. I loved those growing up in Minnesota. But now, I'm in the south US and neither grows here. Not cold enough in the winter and too hot in the summer. Thank you for this lovely walk in your garden.

Beautiful! So much to take in! I could wander around in it all day! I miss my roses and climatis from the other house. We didn't get them transplanted before the renters came and hubby hasn't wanted to go back.I hope to have foxgloves some day. In fact, I'd like an 'English' garden here. I will start next summer after I retire. I still did a lot of pots this year. I don't know what will grow where, so I will plants more in the ground next year. But I like my herbs in pots near the kitchen door---I tend to use them more.Enjoyed the tour. :>)

About Me

When we retired my husband and I moved to Yorkshire. We also spend time in the Italian village where my husband grew up. Writing about our life and recording it through photography has become an interesting leisure activity.